Ponnam flags off 60 electric buses in Kukatpally

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Minister for Transport Ponnam Prabhakar inaugurated 60 electric buses at the Kukatpally Bus depot in Hyderabad on Wednesday The event saw participation from Kukatpally MLA Madhavaram Krishna Rao, MLC Naveen, RTC Managing Director Nagireddy, Medchal district collector Manu Choudhary, among others.

During his address, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar highlighted the launch of eco-friendly electric vehicles as part of the 'Green Challenge' initiative aimed at making them accessible to the public. He emphasised that the Telangana government plans to introduce more electric buses by 2027 to help reduce pollution levels.

Currently, there are 960 electric buses in operation across the state, of which 545 serve Hyderabad. Additionally, 580 of the buses facilitate inter-city transport. The Minister also announced that another 2,200 electric buses will be rolled out in the state under a Central Government programme.

He pointed out that deploying a total of 3,000 electric buses could lead to a reduction of 600 tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions. Ponnam Prabhakar noted that promoting electric vehicles is essential to prevent Hyderabad from facing pollution challenges similar to those of Delhi.

He acknowledged the effects of petrol and diesel prices on public transit. At present, the RTC operates 10,000 buses, including 1,000 electric ones. The Minister stated that utilising electric buses would help alleviate traffic congestion and reduce pollution. Furthermore, he mentioned that around 35 lakh passengers use RTC services every day in the twin cities.

On the subject of expanding the Kukatpally depot, the Minister suggested that the district collector and RTC officials communicate with Housing Board authorities about establishing a new depot on a 5-acre plot.